


Across the Desert

by DeathlySilent13



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 20:08:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30060876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeathlySilent13/pseuds/DeathlySilent13
Summary: Roy, Ed, and company are headed to a wedding. What could possible go wrong?
Relationships: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang, Mei Chan | May Chang/Alphonse Elric
Kudos: 9
Collections: RoyEd Weekly Drabble Challenge





	Across the Desert

**Author's Note:**

> This is incomplete, I'm halfway through chapter 2, but I wanted to get at least this first part out before I got side-tracked by whatever the next week's prompt is. Because, ya know, that never happens, right? XD Might worm a future prompt into a future chapter. Might not, I genuinely have no idea. And there's currently no actual plot twists to this, but again, who knows. The whole fandom is so level headed and focused that there's no way this can get away from me. Right? ......right? 
> 
> Also, it's worth noting at this time that I usually keep Ed's arm and alchemy, but it's not mentioned in this particular story thus far either way, so as of this moment whether or not he does still possess one or either or both is entirely up to your discretion and preference. If it matters later, I'll try and make sure I note it ahead of the story for anyone who would like to know in advance.

Sand crunches beneath the line of hooves, the sun beating down on the travelers braving the desert. General Roy Mustang glances ahead of him, where his salvation sits upon an identical saddle. For years, he’d never dared consider the man before him attainable. How could a man weighted by the lives he’d taken possibly reach out and hope to grasp the very sun? 

He’d never thought, but he found out rather suddenly that everyone around him had. Perhaps the single greatest betrayal of it all was not, in fact, the former Lieutenant (now Major) behind him, but the wife of his best friend and first crush. Gracia had invited him for a celebratory dinner for Elicia’s birthday. He expected his team, and he expected the Elric brothers. He’d been braced to weather their company with dignity. He had not, however, been braced for Gracia to ply him with iced teas spiked tastefully with whiskey. 

It had taken a few hours, but at some point Elicia had most everyone outside, and Gracia had sent Edward in with a round of dishes she had ‘forgotten’ to gather when Roy had been sent in five minutes before. The combination of a pleasant buzz and a stunning blond had proven impossible to circumvent. He’d called Ed gorgeous, waxed poetic about how much he’d missed the fiery attention of the country’s premier genius, and all but declared himself a love-struck fool. Edward, to his credit, merely grinned at him and told him it was about damned time. 

Two weeks later, Edward had a couple spare pants in Roy’s dresser. A week after that, Alphonse presented Roy with a key to the brother’s flat. And a month after his semi-drunken declaration, Edward had curled into him with the light of the moon shining in his eyes and told Roy he loved him. And Roy had most assuredly not cried, no matter what slanderous falsehoods the light of his life may claim. 

It’s been two years, now, and the flat is gone. Alphonse lives in Xing full-time, and Edward moved in with Roy once the newly-minted General upgraded his townhouse after the latest promotion. There’s extra room, and Roy saved Edward a great deal of potential distress and preemptively offered to let him turn the back-most spare bedroom into a second guest room so Alphonse would always have a bed to visit. Edward had very nearly cried, and Roy had not minded the wrinkles in his uniform one whit. 

“We’re here!” 

Roy looks up at Ed’s exclamation, seeing the outline of a city on the horizon. Once the sands give way to cobblestones, Roy pulls his horse up next to Edwards, Winry moving hers to ride alongside Gracia and Elicia behind them. Riza is ahead, and Roy knows the rest of his team is bringing up the rear, protecting the girls should there be need. 

“How much further?” Roy asks, concerned for how long Gracia’s been on horseback. He tried to worry briefly for Winry as well, but the look he received from the girl as she reminded him she grew up in the country was enough to make him rethink several of his life choices. 

Ed gives him a devastating grin, full of the same confidence he always had, but filled now with a surety he hadn’t possessed in his youth. “Not far. It’s maybe another twenty minutes to the palace. Stopping now will make getting going again nearly impossible, so we’re just going all the way through. Ling knows we’re coming, he’ll have someone watching for us, and there’ll be someone on hand well-versed in alkahestry to get rid of any discomfort.” 

Roy blinks slowly. “We’re staying _in_ the palace?” he asks. 

Ed chuckles. “Obviously. I made sure you guys came with Winry and I on purpose. Since Al’s marrying Mei, that basically makes me Xingese royalty by extension. As long as you’re travelling with me, you’ll be given the same treatment.” 

He speaks as though it means nothing, but Roy’s thoughts stutter as he catches up to the ramifications of what they’re walking into. They crossed the desert to attend Alphonse’s wedding, but Roy hadn’t thought beyond that to what it meant for Edward, and thus to himself as Edward’s current beau. 

Before he can fire back with just how much this changes, however, they come within sight of the palace. He can hear Elicia’s delighted squeal, Gracia’s softer gasp, and even Riza’s appreciative hum. 

“Definitely timed it right. Spring’s in full bloom.” Edward says as he keeps them moving forward, waving Gracia up to ride alongside him. “Hey Elicia, you see those pretty pink flowers in the trees? Those are cherry blossoms. They don’t grow anywhere but Xing, and there’s an entire festival every year to celebrate them. And the red ones over there? Those are kapok blossoms. A kapok flower is a promise to cherish everyone, and forget no one.” 

Elicia’s eyes grow impossibly wider, and she watches the trees carefully before looking back up at Ed with the kind of astute curiosity that her father was known for. “Everyone?” she asks softly, her hand closing around the chain she’s never taken off. Gracia had given her Maes’s military tags after the Promised Day, and the girl has worn them religiously ever since. 

Edward nods, his smile tinged in sadness. “Everyone,” he says, the word a solemn promise. 

Roy glances up at Gracia, who is looking at Ed like he’d saved the world all over again, and smiles. He knows the feeling well. There’s no time to delve into it, however, as they finally reach the palace gates. They’re stopped and questioned, but Edward speaks to the guard in shockingly fluent Xingese and flashes a medallion of some sort, and the gate’s guards all jump, startled, and bow them through. 

By the time they’ve reached the steps leading up to the palace, there’s a crowd waiting. Horses are taken as soon as the riders dismount, and several people begin ushering them into the palace proper. Roy’s eyes are everywhere, taking in the ancient opulence that Amestris doesn’t have. Gracia and Elicia are floored by the beauty, but the alchemist in Roy is drawn to the history that he can all but taste within the walls. 

They’re led up two flights of stairs, and each level is more opulent than the last. Halfway up, they’re joined by a face Roy remembers, and he gives Lan Fan a small bow. They owe her a great deal for her efforts back then, and Roy won’t let himself forget. She returns it, giving what sounds like a series of directives to Edward, who just grins his carefree grin. 

As she leaves again, likely drowning in preparations, Edward turns to the assembled Amestrians. “This whole wing is ours, we can divide up however we like, Ling doesn’t really care. There’s a pull rope on the inside of every door, and a bath has already been drawn in every suite. If you want to wear your uniforms to the wedding tomorrow, hang them on the inside of this door, and pull the rope so they know to come collect it. If you’d rather wear something local, they’ll show you how to get into it properly. You’re not inconveniencing anyone by calling for the servants, they practically sit downstairs waiting to be needed. Alkahestry specialists are on hand to heal any unpleasantness from the trip, so summon them once you’re done with your bath. Dinner will be brought to the rooms, Ling set it up so we can rest and recuperate from the trip before we have to make nice with the locals tomorrow.” 

Instructions done, he pivots and flicks his fingers to his forehead in a sarcastic half-salute, setting Elicia to giggling at Roy’s instinctive grimace, and walks through the door he’d stopped in front of. Elicia grabs Gracia’s hand and chooses the door closest to Edward’s without hesitation. Roy shares a soft, indulgent smile with Gracia before they follow their respective cohabitors. Roy can faintly hear the rest of his team dispersing. Riza will likely stay on Roy and Edward’s other side, and either Havoc or Breda will take the room on Gracia’s other side. 

Roy walks slowly through the suite to the bedroom, finding the bathroom door already open and a trail of sand-covered clothes making Edward’s path clear. Roy grins, stripping his uniform off and hanging it out of habit. He does not, however, summon anyone. He’ll need it later to be an Amestrian delegate, but for today, and for Alphonse and Mei’s wedding tomorrow, he’s just a family guest. 

Edward is, predictably, already up to his ears in bubbles. Roy takes his time walking across the tiles towards him, relishing how sharp golden eyes track him. There’s no tension in the look, something Roy had to learn to identify. Edward has never actually figured out how to fully relax, so he always looks like a predator lying in wait, but Roy managed to show Edward that he’s not looking for leverage or weakness when he stares at the blond. It took time, of course, but Roy believes it to be well worth it, and the way Edward watches him these days leaves Roy eager to be pounced on, not afraid. 

Neither of them have the stamina for such things after the desert trek, of course, so Roy simply sinks into the tub and sighs as the heat and whatever is in the water seeps into tired muscles. Edward shifting around to lay against him, a strong back pressed against Roy’s chest, makes it heavenly. Onyx eyes close, and he sighs the last of his tension away as his arms settle around the man who’d kicked in his door and punched directly into his ribcage to steal his heart.

He doesn’t know how long they simply float in bliss before a knock on the suite’s outer door rouses them from their stupor. Neither of them had called for anyone, so the knocking confuses Roy, and he sits up just as they hear a door open. 

“You’d better both have pants on!” comes the gentle chastisement, but the mirth in Alphonse’s voice as he says it belies any genuine malice. 

Edward laughs, leveraging himself up out of the tub and reaching for a towel. Roy is much slower getting out, having stopped to watch water-slicked golden skin flex and undulate. His eyes flick down Ed’s back, mouth watering, and ends up with a towel flung at his face. He pulls it away, intending to voice his indignation, but his fiery wildcat is suddenly far too close and kissing him, and he forgets everything but Edward. 

The younger man smirks up at him, a towel around his hips and another draped over his hand as it rubs at the golden curtain atop his head. “You should probably put pants on. I’d hate for Al to actually stab you.” 

With that declaration, Edward walks out, and promptly begins chastising Al who most likely swatted him for walking out without clothes. Roy takes his time drying himself and pulling on a pair of slacks. After a moment’s thought, he pulls an undershirt on as well. Not ideal wear for entertaining, but anything that keeps Alphonse happy, especially with his wedding tomorrow is well worth it. They’ve been through quite enough in their lives, Roy hopes that good things come to them both and would be honored to contribute as often as he is able.

By the time he gets all the way back to the sitting room, Edward’s clad in harem pants and has draped himself across his brother’s lap. Alphonse is, of course, pristine in traditional Xingese garb, and seems to be making a half-hearted attempt at brushing out Edward’s hair. Roy settles in a nearby armchair, far too used to how devoted the brothers are to one another to be bothered by it. He was questioned on it once, and he had to genuinely think about it before he realized that it had never occurred to him to try to come between the brothers. When they were younger, it was mostly self preservation. Edward hadn’t taken kindly to people messing with Alphonse, and reacted violently to not knowing where the younger was. As the years progressed, as he watched them suffer, he watched them need each other in much the same way he has long needed Riza: someone who walked through the same hell and never abandoned the monster he’d become.

“Are you ready for tomorrow?” Roy asks softly. He has no doubt everything’s organized, but that doesn’t mean Alphonse isn’t sitting upon a rather impressive bundle of nerves. 

He’s proven right by the shaky laugh he gets. “I know everything’s perfect. I checked it all twice already today alone. I know it’s all ready. But what if it’s not?” 

The question is rhetorical, and Roy doesn’t bother trying to answer it. Edward, however, snorts, reaching up to poke Alphonse’s nose lightly. “Like anything would dare not be perfect tomorrow. All these years later and you’re still a damned worrywart.” 

Alphonse tries to glare down at Edward, but given the tension that starts to leak out of him, Edward’s attitude on the matter is most likely exactly why Alphonse is here. Roy just smiles at the pair of them, content to bask in their combined presence. He’s not sure yet whether the pair will fall asleep on the couch, or if Alphonse will return to his room, but Roy doesn’t concern himself with it. He’d be shocked if Ling hasn’t prepared the entire palace to expect the brothers to end up tangled together. 

A knock at the door is their only warning as Ling barges into the suite, flustered servants pushing a tray of food behind them, Gracia and Elicia trailing with a touch of uncertainty. Roy gives the poor girls an apologetic shrug as Ling tries to drape himself across Edward and gets swatted several times with a pillow for the effort. Alphonse sighs, snatching the pillow and tossing it to an empty chair. Edward manages a rather impressive pout as Ling settles in, and the six of them dine together as simple friends.


End file.
